JP7374718B2 - Inkjet recording device and ink tank - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an inkjet recording device and an ink tank that record images by ejecting ink.

Patent Document 1 discloses that a plurality of channels inserted into the tank through the opening of the ink tank serve as ink channels and air channels, and ink is exchanged between the ink supply container and the ink tank while exchanging air and liquid. A configuration is disclosed that allows replenishment of. This allows the user to replenish ink to the ink tank without squeezing the ink replenishment container.

In addition, in order to position the ink replenishment container in a part of the ink tank, a gap is provided between the two so that the needle provided on the ink tank can be easily inserted into the outlet of the ink replenishment container. .

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-140556

However, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, since a gap is provided between the needle provided in the ink tank and the outlet, the ink replenishment container is not sufficiently fixed to the ink tank, resulting in failure when replenishing ink. There is a possibility that the position will become stable.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet recording apparatus that can perform stable ink injection operations.

In order to solve the above problems, an inkjet recording apparatus according to the present invention includes a recording head for discharging ink, an ink storage chamber for storing ink to be supplied to the recording head, and an inkjet recording device for injecting ink into the ink storage chamber. an ink tank having an inlet, a first shaped part formed around the inlet, an outlet that can be inserted into the inlet and from which the ink flows out, an inkjet recording apparatus in which ink is injected into the ink storage chamber from an ink supply container having a second shaped part formed around the outlet and fitted with the first shaped part, The ink supply container further includes an injection assisting member that is attached to the inside of the injection port so as to be fixed to the injection port in an insertion direction of insertion into the inlet, and that assists injection of ink into the ink storage chamber. When injecting ink into the ink storage chamber, the ink supply container is fixed to the ink tank by fitting the first shaped part and the second shaped part, and the injection auxiliary member It is characterized in that it is inserted into the inside of the outlet so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the insertion direction.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an inkjet recording apparatus that can perform stable ink injection operations.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of an inkjet recording apparatus according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a tank unit according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ink tank according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an ink supply path from an ink tank to a recording head according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a user's ink injection operation into the inkjet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the detailed configuration of a mechanical ID groove and a mechanical ID shape according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic enlarged sectional view showing how the needle according to the first embodiment equalizes with respect to the outlet of the ink bottle. FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a detailed configuration of a mechanical ID groove and a mechanical ID shape according to a second embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an example of a valve configuration within an ink bottle.

[First embodiment]
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the following embodiments do not limit the present invention, and not all combinations of features described in the present embodiments are essential to the solution of the present invention. Further, the relative arrangement, shape, etc. of the components described in the embodiments are merely examples, and the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited thereto.

<Device configuration>
FIG. 1A is an external perspective view showing an inkjet recording apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a recording apparatus) 1 in this embodiment. The recording apparatus 1 includes a housing 5, a recording head 3 (see FIG. 2) that performs a recording operation on a recording medium, and an ink tank 11 as an ink storage container that stores ink to be supplied to the recording head 3. . In this embodiment, the ink tank 11 is arranged on the front surface of the casing 5 and fixed to the main body of the apparatus. Similarly, the front surface of the housing 5 is provided with an operation section 4 that allows the user to input commands to the recording apparatus 1 and other operations. The operation unit 4 of this embodiment also includes a display panel that can display errors in the recording device 1 and the like.

At the top of the housing 5, a scanner unit 2 that performs a document reading operation is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the housing 5. FIG. 1B is an external perspective view of the recording apparatus 1 showing a state in which the scanner unit 2 is opened with respect to the housing 5. As shown in FIG. When the scanner unit 2 is opened, a tank cover 12 that can cover the top surface of the ink tank 11 is exposed. In FIG. 1(b), the tank cover 12 is in a closed state. Note that the main body cover on which the scanner unit 2 is not mounted may be configured to be openable and closable with respect to the housing 5.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of the recording apparatus 1. The recording apparatus 1 feeds recording media stacked in a paper feed cassette 6 provided on the front side of the housing 5 or a paper feed tray 7 provided on the back side using a feeding means (not shown). The recording medium fed by the feeding means is conveyed by a conveyance roller (conveyance means) 40 onto a platen 42 disposed at a position facing the recording head 3 . The platen 42 is a member for guiding and supporting the recording medium recorded by the recording head 3.

The recording medium on which recording by the recording head 3 has been completed is discharged onto a paper discharge tray 43 by a discharge roller (discharge means) 41. The paper ejection tray 43 is arranged above the paper feed cassette 6.

Note that the direction in which the recording medium is transported by the transport roller 40 (the Y direction shown in FIG. 2) is referred to as the transport direction. That is, the upstream side in the transport direction corresponds to the back side of the casing 5, and the downstream side in the transport direction corresponds to the front side of the casing 5.

The recording head 3 is mounted on a carriage 31 that reciprocates in a main scanning direction (X direction shown in FIG. 2) that intersects with the transport direction. In this embodiment, the transport direction and the main scanning direction are perpendicular to each other.
The recording head 3 ejects ink droplets while moving in the main scanning direction together with the carriage 31, and records one band's worth of images on the recording medium (recording operation). After one band of images is recorded, the recording medium is transported by a predetermined amount in the transport direction by the transport rollers 40 (intermittent transport operation). By repeating the recording operation for one band and the intermittent conveyance operation, an image is recorded on the entire recording medium based on the image data.

Also, in the inkjet recording system, the recording head 3 is equipped with a means (for example, a heating resistor element) for generating thermal energy as energy used for ink ejection, and the thermal energy causes a change in the state of the ink (film boiling). A method is used that causes This achieves higher density and higher definition of image recording. Note that the present invention is not limited to such a method using thermal energy, but may also be a method using vibration energy with a configuration including a piezoelectric element.

The recording apparatus 1 is provided with a maintenance unit within the scanning area of the carriage 31 and outside the recording area where the recording head 3 performs the recording operation. The maintenance unit is a unit that performs maintenance processing to maintain the ejection performance of the recording head 3, and is arranged at a position that can face the ejection port surface on which ink ejection ports are arranged.

The recording head 3 shown in FIG. 2 is located at a position (home position) where maintenance processing can be performed by the maintenance unit. The maintenance unit includes a cap that can cap the ejection port surface, and a suction recovery mechanism that performs a suction operation to remove residual air bubbles and thickened ink from the ejection port by forcibly suctioning ink while the ejection port is capped. We are prepared.

Note that although this embodiment shows an example of a serial head in which the recording head 3 is mounted on a carriage 31, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is not limited to this. It can also be applied to heads.

An ink tank 11 is provided in the recording apparatus 1 for each color of ink that can be ejected by the recording head 3. In this embodiment, four ink tanks are provided: a black ink tank 11K, a cyan ink tank 11C, a magenta ink tank 11M, and a yellow ink tank 11Y, and these are collectively referred to as the ink tank 11. Note that cyan, magenta, and yellow are just examples of color inks, and are not limited thereto.

As shown in FIG. 2, the black ink tank 11K is arranged on the left side of the paper discharge tray 43 and the paper feed cassette 6 when viewed from the front of the recording apparatus 1. On the other hand, the cyan ink tank 11C, the magenta ink tank 11M, and the yellow ink tank 11Y are arranged on the right side of the paper discharge tray 43 and the paper feed cassette 6 when viewed from the front of the recording apparatus 1. That is, the paper discharge tray 43 and the paper feed cassette 6 are provided between the black ink tank 11K and the color ink tank. Each ink tank 11 is connected to the recording head 3 by a flexible supply tube 8 that constitutes a supply channel for supplying ink to the recording head 3.

The recording apparatus 1 is also provided with a black tank cover 12Bk and a color tank cover 12Cl. The black tank cover 12Bk covers the top surface of the black ink tank 11K. On the other hand, the color tank cover 12Cl integrally covers the upper surfaces of the cyan ink tank 11C, the magenta ink tank 11M, and the yellow ink tank 11Y. Hereinafter, the black tank cover 12Bk and the color tank cover 12Cl will be collectively referred to as the tank cover 12.

<Ink injection operation>
3(a) to 3(d) are external perspective views of the tank unit 10 including the ink tank 11 and its surrounding structure. Since the basic configuration of the tank unit 10 is common for each ink color, the tank unit for black will be explained as an example.

3(a) shows a state in which the tank cover 12 is closed, and FIG. 3(b) shows a state in which the tank cover 12 is opened. The user can access the tank cap 13 by opening the tank cover 12 in the S1 direction.

An injection port 14 for injecting ink is provided on the top surface of the ink tank 11, and the injection port 14 can be sealed with a tank cap 13. The tank cap 13 includes a cap part 13a for sealing the injection port 14, and a lever part 13b that supports the cap part 13a and can be operated by the user. It is rotatably supported on the shaft.

The user can inject ink by removing the cap portion 13a from the injection port 14 while rotating the lever portion 13b in the S2 direction shown in FIG. 3(b) (see FIG. 3(c)). Note that the lever portion 13b may be configured to be rotatably supported on the ink tank 11 or the tank cover 12.

The cap portion 13a of the tank cap 13 is made of a rubber elastic member, and the lever portion 13b is made of plastic or the like. The lever portion 13b of this embodiment is color-coded to correspond to the color of the ink contained in the ink tank 11.

That is, the lever section 13b for black ink is colored black or gray, the lever section 13b for cyan ink is colored cyan, the lever section 13b for magenta ink is colored magenta, and the lever section 13b for yellow ink is colored yellow. Thereby, when the user injects ink into the ink tank 11, it is possible to prevent the user from injecting ink of the wrong color. Note that not only the lever portion 13b but also the cap portion 13a may be color-coded.

FIG. 3D shows a state in which an ink bottle 15, which is an ink supply container, is inserted into the injection port 14 and ink is injected with the tank cap 13 removed. In this embodiment, the ink in the ink bottle 15 is injected into the ink tank 11 through gas-liquid exchange with the air in the ink tank 11 .

<Ink tank configuration>
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ink tank 11. The ink tank 11 includes an ink storage chamber 16 for storing ink, an ink supply port 17 for supplying ink in the ink storage chamber 16 to the recording head 3, an air storage chamber 18 for storing air, and an air storage chamber 18. An atmosphere communication port 19 is provided for communicating the air with the atmosphere. The ink storage chamber 16 is arranged above the ink tank 11 and is opened to the first side surface.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the ink tank 11 viewed from the first side. One end of the ink supply port 17 is connected to the ink storage chamber 16, and the other end is connected to the supply tube 8. The ink storage chamber 16 has an opening on the first side surface side covered with a film (not shown). The air storage chamber 18 is disposed below the ink storage chamber 16 and is provided so as to open to the second side surface that is opposite to the first side surface.

FIG. 4(b) is a perspective view of the ink tank 11 viewed from the second side. The air storage chamber 18 and the ink storage chamber 16 are connected by a connection path 20 extending downward from the lower surface of the ink storage chamber 16, and the lower end of the connection path 20 serves as a gas-liquid exchange section for ink and air. Note that the gas-liquid exchange section has a cross-sectional area that maintains the meniscus of the ink. The air chamber 18 is further connected to an atmosphere communication port 19 that communicates with the atmosphere.

During normal use, as ink is ejected from the recording head 3, ink is supplied from the ink storage chamber 16 to the recording head 3, and the same volume of air as the supplied ink is passed through the air-liquid exchange section to the air storage chamber 18. The ink is supplied to the ink storage chamber 16 from there.

However, if the air in the ink storage chamber 16 expands due to changes in temperature or pressure, and the meniscus of the air-liquid exchange section is destroyed, the ink in the ink storage chamber 16 falls into the air storage chamber 18 due to the difference in water head. Therefore, the air chamber 18 has a volume capable of accommodating the ink fully contained in the ink chamber 16. In this way, the air storage chamber 18 also plays the role of a buffer chamber that prevents ink from leaking into the apparatus from the atmosphere communication port 19.

<Ink supply configuration>
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an ink supply path from an ink tank to a recording head. In FIG. 5, a part of the detailed configuration of the ink tank 11 is omitted. FIG. 5A shows the ink supply path during a printing operation, and FIG. 5B shows the ink supply path when the user is injecting ink.

The ink tank 11 shown in FIG. 5 is shown with a supply tube 8 attached to the ink supply port 17 shown in FIG. It is connected. Further, the ink tank 11 shown in FIG. 5 is shown in a state where an atmosphere communication tube 30 forming an atmosphere communication path is attached to the atmosphere communication port 19 shown in FIG. The air chamber 18 communicates with the atmosphere. The supply tube 8 and the atmosphere communication tube 30 are each provided with a valve 23 that can open and close them all at once.

In this embodiment, the opening and closing of the valve 23 is configured to be linked to the opening and closing of the tank cover 12 by the user. That is, when the tank cover 12 is closed, the valve 23 is in an open state, and the supply tube 8 and the atmosphere communication tube 30 are open. On the other hand, when the tank cover 12 is open, the valve 23 is closed, and the supply tube 8 and the atmosphere communication tube 30 are closed. Note that the valve 23 may be opened and closed by a member separate from the tank cover 12. Furthermore, the valve 23 may be provided individually for each of the supply tube 8 and the atmosphere communication tube 30.

As shown in FIG. 5A, during the printing operation, ink is continuously supplied from the ink storage chamber 16 to the printing head 3 via the supply tube 8 in an amount equal to the amount of ink ejected from the printing head 3. Furthermore, the injection port 14 is sealed by the cap 13 during the recording operation. Therefore, the same volume of air as the ink ejected from the recording head 3 is supplied from the air chamber 18 to the ink chamber 16 via the connection path 20. That is, gas-liquid exchange between ink and air is performed on the liquid surface of the connection path 20 on the air storage chamber 18 side.

The ink tank 11 further has a needle 22 attached inside the injection port 14 as an injection assisting member for assisting the injection of ink from the injection port 14 . The needle 22 includes a first flow path 22a and a second flow path 22b, and communicates the inside and outside of the ink tank 11. Note that the needle 22 is configured as a separate member from the ink tank 11.

In FIG. 5B, the first flow path 22a of the needle 22 functions as an ink flow path through which ink flows from the ink bottle 15 toward the ink storage chamber 16, and the second flow path 22b functions as an ink flow path through which ink flows from the ink bottle 15 toward the ink storage chamber 16. It functions as an air flow path through which air flows from the ink bottle 15 to the ink bottle 15. Note that both the first flow path 22a and the second flow path 22b can function as an ink flow path or an air flow path, and the one through which ink flows first from the ink bottle 15 functions as an ink flow path. The other functions as an air flow path.

When a user injects ink into the ink tank 11, the user first opens the tank cover 12 (see FIG. 3) to expose the cap 13. When the tank cover 12 is opened, the valve 23 transitions to a closed state in which the supply tube 8 and the atmosphere communication tube 30 are closed. That is, the supply of ink from the ink tank 11 to the recording head 3 is cut off, and communication between the ink tank 11 and the atmosphere is also cut off. By shifting the valve 23 to the closed state, leakage of ink from the ejection port surface of the recording head 3 and the atmosphere communication tube 30 during ink injection is suppressed.

Thereafter, the user removes the cap 13 from the injection port 14 to expose the injection port 14 and needle 22. Next, the user inserts (installs) the ink bottle 15 into the inlet 14 so that the needle 22 is inserted into the outlet 15a of the ink bottle 15.

When the needle 22 is inserted into the outlet 15a, a valve (not shown) provided inside the ink bottle 15 opens, and the inside of the ink bottle 15 and the inside of the ink tank 11 communicate with each other. Then, while the first flow path 22a and the second flow path 22b of the needle 22 function as an ink flow path and an air flow path, respectively, gas-liquid exchange between the ink in the ink bottle 15 and the air in the ink storage chamber 16 is performed. As a result, ink is injected into the ink tank 11.

When the ink injection progresses and the ink level in the ink storage chamber 16 reaches the lower end of the needle 22 (particularly the second flow path 22b functioning as an air flow path), air flows in from the ink storage chamber 16. As a result, gas-liquid exchange stops. Along with this, the flow of ink from the ink bottle 15 into the ink storage chamber 16 is also stopped, and the ink injection operation is completed. In this way, in this embodiment, the ink injection operation is performed using gas-liquid exchange.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the recording apparatus showing how ink is injected by the user. In this embodiment, a mechanical ID groove 24 as a first shaped portion is provided around the inlet 14 of the ink tank 11 . The mechanical ID groove 24 is a concave portion having a different shape for each color of ink, and is formed of a separate member from the ink tank 11. Although not shown in FIG. 6, a mechanical ID groove 24 is also provided around the inlet 14 of the black ink tank 11K. Further, around the outlet 15a of the ink bottle 15, a mechanical ID shape 25 is formed as a second shape portion that differs for each color of ink. The mechanical ID shape 25 is a convex portion and is formed integrally with the outlet 15a.

The mechanical ID groove 24 and the mechanical ID shape 25 are configured to fit together only when the ink bottle 15 containing the same ink as the ink contained in the ink tank 11 is inserted into the inlet 14. There is. Then, only when the mechanical ID groove 24 and the mechanical ID shape 25 are fitted together, the needle 22 is inserted into the outlet 15a.

Therefore, even if the user attempts to attach the ink bottle 15 containing ink different from the ink contained in the ink tank 11, the mechanical ID groove 24 and the mechanical ID shape 25 will not fit, and the needle 22 will not fit with the outlet 15a. Not inserted. In this way, by providing the mechanical ID groove 24 and the mechanical ID shape 25 in the ink tank 11 and the ink bottle 15, respectively, it is possible to suppress incorrect injection of ink by the user.

That is, for example, since the mechanical ID groove 24 of the magenta ink tank 11M and the mechanical ID shape 25 of the ink bottle 15 containing magenta ink fit together, the user cannot insert the ink bottle 15 into the inlet 14. can. On the other hand, the user cannot insert the ink bottle 15 into the inlet 14 because the mechanical ID groove 24 of the ink tank 11M for magenta ink does not fit with the mechanical ID shape 25 of the ink bottle 15 containing cyan ink. .

The detailed configuration of the mechanical ID groove 24 and the mechanical ID shape 25 will be described using FIG. 7. FIG. 7A is a schematic enlarged sectional view showing the ink bottle before it is inserted into the ink tank. FIG. 7(b) is a schematic enlarged sectional view showing a state in which the ink bottle is inserted into the ink tank.

The mechanical ID groove 24 is formed so that its cross-sectional area becomes smaller toward the back (downstream) in the insertion direction (-Z direction) of the ink bottle 15. Thereby, when the mechanical ID groove 24 and the mechanical ID shape 25 are fitted, the mechanical ID shape 25 is fixed in position with respect to the mechanical ID groove 24. That is, since the ink bottle 15 is fixed in position with respect to the ink tank 11, the user can stably inject ink. Furthermore, since the user can take his hand off the ink bottle 15 during the ink injection operation, the work efficiency of the ink injection operation can be improved.

As shown in FIG. 7B, when the mechanical ID groove 24 of the ink tank 11 and the mechanical ID shape 25 of the ink bottle 15 are fitted, the needle 22 of the ink tank 11 is inserted into the outlet 15a of the ink bottle 15. The state will be as follows. Further, by inserting the needle 22 and opening a valve (not shown), the inside of the ink bottle 15 and the inside of the ink tank 11 are communicated with each other.

Here, an example of a valve that can be opened and closed provided inside the ink tank 11 will be shown using FIG. FIG. 10A is an enlarged sectional view showing the outlet 15a of the ink bottle 15 that is not inserted into the ink tank 11. FIG. 10(b) is an enlarged sectional view showing the outlet 15a of the ink bottle 15 inserted into the ink tank 11.

An elastic member 50, a displacement member 51, a fixing member 52, and a biasing member 53 are provided inside the outlet 15a. The elastic member 50 is made of, for example, rubber, is provided near the outlet 15a, and has a through hole having an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the needle 22 so that the needle 22 can pass therethrough. As shown in FIG. 10(b), when the needle 22 is inserted into the outlet 15a, the needle 22 fits into the through hole of the elastic member 50. Since no gap is formed between the needle 22 and the elastic member 50, the ink is formed so as not to flow through the gap between the needle 22 and the elastic member 50. Thereby, the first flow path 22a and the second flow path 22b of the needle 22 function appropriately as an ink flow path and an air flow path, respectively.

A displacement member 51 and a fixing member 52 are provided inside the ink tank 11 than the elastic member 50 is. The displacement member 51 is attached with one end of a biasing member 53 such as a spring, and is biased toward the elastic member 50 . That is, when the ink bottle 15 is not inserted into the ink tank 11, the displacement member 51 plays the role of a valve by coming into contact with the elastic member 50, as shown in FIG. 10(a). Therefore, even if the outlet 15a of the ink bottle 15 is directed downward in the direction of gravity, ink will not leak from the outlet 15a.

The fixing member 52 is attached to the other end of the biasing member 53 and is provided outside the displacement member 51 so as to surround the displacement member 51 . The displacement member 51 is movable relative to the fixed member 52.

When the ink bottle 15 is inserted into the ink tank 11, the needle 22 comes into contact with the displacement member 51. Then, when the user inserts the ink bottle 15 further into the interior, the displacement member 51 is displaced toward the inside of the ink bottle 15 against the biasing force of the biasing member 53, as shown in FIG. 10(b). As a result, the displacement member 51 and the elastic member 50 are separated, so that the inside of the ink bottle 15 and the inside of the ink tank 11 are communicated with each other.

As described above, in the example shown in FIG. 10, the valve is closed when the elastic member 50 and the displacement member 51 come into contact with each other, and the valve is opened when the elastic member 50 and the displacement member 51 are separated. Note that the valve inside the ink tank 11 is not limited to this, and a rubber plug using the elastic force of rubber, a slit valve, or the like may also be used.

Returning to the explanation of FIG. 7. The needle 22 is provided with a snap-fit shape 28, and is coupled to a convex portion 14a formed inside the inlet 14 of the ink tank 11 in a snap-fit manner. Therefore, the needle 22 is fixed to the ink tank 11 in the Z direction (the direction in which the ink bottle 15 is inserted into the inlet 14), and is configured so that it will not come off even if the user pulls it in the Z direction.

On the other hand, the needle 22 is not fixed to the ink tank 11 in the XY directions, but is attached so as to be equalizable. That is, the angle of the central axis 27 of the needle 22 can be changed in accordance with the central axis 26 of the ink bottle 15 inserted by the user.

FIG. 8 is a schematic enlarged sectional view showing how the needle is equalized in the XY directions so that the ink bottle fits into the ink tank. 8(a), FIG. 8(b), and FIG. 8(c) show how the ink bottle 15 is inserted into the inlet 14 of the ink tank 11 in this order.

In FIG. 8A, the center axis 27 of the needle 22 is offset from the center axis 26 of the ink bottle 15. In FIG. If the user inserts the ink bottle 15 into the inlet 14 as it is, even if the mechanical ID groove 24 and the mechanical ID shape 25 fit together, the needle 22 will not be properly inserted into the outlet 15a.

As in this embodiment, the needle 22 is configured to be movable in the X and Y directions, so that when the tip of the needle 22 comes into contact with the outlet 15a, the central axis 27 of the needle 22 is tilted (see FIG. 8(b)). ). With such an equalization mechanism for the needle 22, the needle 22 is appropriately inserted into the outlet 15a (see FIG. 8(c)). That is, the position of the central axis 27 of the needle 22 is adjusted to match the central axis 26 of the outlet 15a.

As described above, the ink bottle 15 and the ink tank 11 are fixed in position by the mechanical ID shape 25 and the mechanical ID groove 24. Thereby, the operation of injecting ink into the ink tank 11 can be performed stably.

Further, the needle 22 as an injection assisting member is configured to be movable in the XY directions, and is inserted into the outlet 15a of the ink bottle 15 while being equalized. Thereby, the outflow port 15a and the needle 22 are properly positioned, so that it is possible to prevent the user from erroneous operation such as the ink bottle 15 being damaged by the needle 22.

Although the fitting shape has been described in which the mechanical ID shape 25 is a convex part and the mechanical ID groove 24 is a concave part, the present invention is not limited to this, and a concave part is formed on the ink bottle 15 side and a convex part is formed on the ink tank 11 side. may have been done. Furthermore, although a configuration has been described in which the ink bottle 15 is fixed to the ink tank 11 by fitting the mechanical ID, a fitting shape in which a different mechanical ID is not formed for each color may be used.

[Second embodiment]
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view showing how the ink tank 11 and ink bottle 15 according to the second embodiment are fitted together. In the second embodiment, a snap-fit shaped pressing member 29 is provided inside the mechanical ID groove 24 of the ink tank 11 . Further, the mechanical ID shape 25 of the ink bottle 15 is provided with a recessed portion 25a at a position facing the pressing member 29 when the mechanical ID shape 25 is fitted into the mechanical ID groove 24.

When the ink tank 11 and the ink bottle 15 are properly fitted, the presser member 29 and the recess 25a are fitted, giving the user a click sensation. Thereby, it can be confirmed that the ink bottle 15 has been reliably inserted into the injection port 14, and erroneous insertion (erroneous attachment) of the ink bottle 15 by the user can be suppressed.

Further, by fitting the holding member 29 and the recess 25a, the ink bottle 15 is more firmly fixed to the ink tank 11, so that a more stable ink injection operation can be realized.

1 Inkjet recording device 3 Recording head 11 Ink tank 14 Inlet 15 Ink bottle (ink supply container)
15a Outlet 16 Ink storage chamber 22 Needle (injection auxiliary member)
24 Mechanical ID groove (first shaped part)
25 Mecha ID shape (second shape part)

Claims (13)

A recording head that ejects ink,
An ink tank having an ink storage chamber for storing ink to be supplied to the recording head, an injection port for injecting ink into the ink storage chamber, and a first shaped portion formed around the injection port. and,
The ink is supplied from an ink supply container having an outlet that can be inserted into the inlet and from which the ink flows out, and a second shaped part that is formed around the outlet and that fits into the first shaped part. An inkjet recording device in which ink is injected into a storage chamber,
Further, an injection assisting member is attached to the inside of the injection port so as to be fixed to the injection port in an insertion direction in which the outlet is inserted into the injection port, and assists injection of ink into the ink storage chamber. Prepare,
When injecting ink from the ink supply container into the ink storage chamber, the ink supply container is fixed to the ink tank by fitting the first shape part and the second shape part, and the ink supply container is fixed to the ink tank by fitting the first shape part and the second shape part. An inkjet recording apparatus characterized in that the auxiliary member is inserted into the outlet so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the insertion direction. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first shaped part is a concave part and the second shaped part is a convex part. 3. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first shaped portion has a cross-sectional area on the downstream side in the insertion direction that is smaller than a cross-sectional area on the upstream side in the insertion direction. The recording head is capable of ejecting a first ink and a second ink,
The first shaped part of the ink tank containing the first ink and the second shaped part of the ink supply container containing the first ink fit together, but the first shaped part of the ink tank containing the second ink fits together. 4. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first shaped part and the second shaped part of the ink supply container containing the first ink do not fit together. The ink supply container has a valve that can be opened and closed inside the outlet,
When the first shaped part and the second shaped part fit together, the injection auxiliary member opens the valve and ink can be injected, and the first shaped part and the second shaped part do not fit together. 5. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the valve is not opened and ink cannot be injected. The valve includes an elastic member provided near the outlet and having a through hole through which the injection auxiliary member can pass, and a displacement member biased toward the elastic member by a biasing member, The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the inkjet recording apparatus is closed by abutment between the elastic member and the displacement member. The valve is characterized in that the outflow port is inserted into the inlet and the injection auxiliary member is opened when the displacement member is separated from the elastic member against the biasing force of the biasing member. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 6. 8. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the inner diameter of the through hole is smaller than the outer diameter of the injection auxiliary member. The injection assisting member is characterized in that it includes a first channel through which ink flows from the ink replenishment container to the ink storage chamber, and a second flow path through which air flows from the ink storage chamber to the ink replenishment container. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The ink tank has a snap-fit shaped pressing member inside the first shaped part,
10. The ink supply container according to claim 1, wherein the ink supply container has a recess that fits into the pressing member in a state where the first shaped part and the second shaped part are fitted. Inkjet recording device. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the ink tank is fixed to a main body of the inkjet recording apparatus. The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a tank cap capable of sealing the injection port. An ink storage chamber that stores ink to be supplied to a recording head that discharges ink, an injection port for injecting ink into the ink storage chamber, and a first shaped portion formed around the injection port. have,
The ink is supplied from an ink supply container having an outlet that can be inserted into the inlet and from which the ink flows out, and a second shaped part that is formed around the outlet and that fits into the first shaped part. An ink tank into which ink is injected into a storage chamber,
Further, an injection assisting member is attached to the inside of the injection port so as to be fixed to the injection port in an insertion direction in which the outlet is inserted into the injection port, and assists injection of ink into the ink storage chamber. have,
When injecting ink from the ink supply container into the ink storage chamber, the ink supply container is fixed to the ink tank by fitting the first shape part and the second shape part, and the ink supply container is fixed to the ink tank by fitting the first shape part and the second shape part. An ink tank characterized in that the auxiliary member is inserted into the outlet so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the insertion direction.

Images